Dead or Alive Dashboard Fuel Indicator Needle

[bbart]

Guys,

Strange and annoying: i have a 97' e34 530i with a sometimes dead, sometimes alive dasboard fuel tank indicator needle.

When the car has been parked in the sun for a while and it is hot inside the car, the needle comes to life; I start the car and the needle on the dash jumps up to tell me how much fuel is left in the tank (e.g 40 litres). I drive for a while, the needle drops back to 20 litres or so. (??)

Should the car be parked in the shade or when it's dark, and the car is then started, the needle doesn't move. Dead. I drive for a while; it remains 'dead'.

I suspect this problem be electronic and heat related--expanding, contracting. Trouble is, i don't know how to solve it.

Thanks for all the help so far. This forum has been reaaly great!!

Bart

[BillionPa]

you need a new fuel sending unit, they die eventually, or just get more and more inaccurate over time.

you need the part, plus some gaskets, plus a tank low on gas (easier that way) and some large rubber gloves to keep the gas off your self.

the unit is in the tank and accessable from the trunk. you pull the matts up, and its on the right side.

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/engine/FuelPump.htm

thats most of the procedure, minus the pump replacement.

[DanH]

Thats a rare car. Is it a 1997 or an e34, tough to be both.

The capacitors in the instrument cluster can do funny things with the needles if they are going bad.


Guys,

Strange and annoying: i have a 97' e34 530i with a sometimes dead, sometimes alive dasboard fuel tank indicator needle.

When the car has been parked in the sun for a while and it is hot inside the car, the needle comes to life; I start the car and the needle on the dash jumps up to tell me how much fuel is left in the tank (e.g 40 litres). I drive for a while, the needle drops back to 20 litres or so. (??)

Should the car be parked in the shade or when it's dark, and the car is then started, the needle doesn't move. Dead. I drive for a while; it remains 'dead'.

I suspect this problem be electronic and heat related--expanding, contracting. Trouble is, i don't know how to solve it.

Thanks for all the help so far. This forum has been reaaly great!!

Bart

[bbart]

Thats a rare car. Is it a 1997 or an e34, tough to be both.

The capacitors in the instrument cluster can do funny things with the needles if they are going bad.

Thanks for your post !

It's like this; I am Dutch and live in Indonesia. Now, the E34 model was discontinued in 1995 except for the 530i V8. They kept making them until discontinuation in 1997 when the all new 530i arrived in Indonesia.

Bart

[bbart]

you need a new fuel sending unit, they die eventually, or just get more and more inaccurate over time.

you need the part, plus some gaskets, plus a tank low on gas (easier that way) and some large rubber gloves to keep the gas off your self.

the unit is in the tank and accessable from the trunk. you pull the matts up, and its on the right side.

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/engine/FuelPump.htm

thats most of the procedure, minus the pump replacement.

Thank you!

I'll get right on it.

Bart